The Mitchells
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF
Music
Press
"The Mitchells self-titled album is a beautiful, open piece of work that truly captures the spirit of alluring storytelling, along with irresistible composition. Throughout the album, a flawless weave between classical and indie rock comes alive in the album..." - Mostmetro.com
“Delicate and crisp -- balancing electric guitar with banjo, cello and more eclectic instruments -- everything about The Mitchells' self-titled debut album says indie-pop. The music is light and drifting and would play perfectly as the soundtrack to the next Marc Webb film. It is hard to listen to this album and not imagine yourself leaning out the car window and letting the wind push firmly against your outstretched palm.
The album is primarily a DIY project that took more than a year to complete, recording both at-home and at Lebanon's All Nighter Studio. The open, lonely loveliness of the music is echoed in the album's package design that features the photography of Wendy Minor Viny and Mark Becknell.
There is an austerity to the composition that allows for a lot of airflow between notes and gives the songs a mid-summer afternoon's dreamlike charm. Lyrically, there is an eloquent word-play in The Mitchells that reminds me of some of Paul Simon's lesser-known solo projects and a subtle gravity that could be influenced by the great Robert Hunter.
Fall asleep,
I can see you,
The moonlight from the windows,
casting shadows on the pillow.
Cold and clean,
Falling naked,
Our friends have different faces,
They're all wearing green sweaters.
The band's Facebook page states that "The Mitchells are a band of storytellers that weave their tales with orchestral sensibilities while demonstrating that they are unafraid to cut loose and let their rock roots show."
The music of The Mitchells comes from Joseph Mitchell [guitar/banjo/cello/vocals] along with Marc Aiello [guitar/keyboard], Carlos Mitchell [bass/vocals] and Nick Mavridoglou [drums].
On this album they are joined by Nashville singer-songwriter Caroline Kingsbury (The Red Headed Indian) in both the closing ("The Christmas Gulch") and the opening ("Driving in Cars") tracks. "Driving in Cars" may be the most "pop-like" single in the collection. Kingsbury and Mitchell's vocals balance each other very well and provide a lovely point-counterpoint aspect that propels the song.
Local guitarist Noah Wotherspoon makes a cameo on the album and brings a pleasant blues vibe to the song "Willie Mays."
Halfway through the album, the dreamy "Absalom" (with guest Tim Golliher on mandolin) takes you on a downright hypnotic eight-and-a-half minute journey that provides a strong contrast to the remainder of the disc.
The two songs "Denmark" and "Orchard" are my favorites as they are the most high-energy tracks and have the fullest overall sound. Of the two, however,"Orchard" gets the nod this week as my favorite -- probably because it feels like it should sit alongside R.E.M.'s Chronic Town EP.
The overall performance on The Mitchells feels unsure and apprehensive. There is a noticeable imbalance on some tracks between the light and airy strings and the too up-front drums. Likewise, too often the bass just follows and should take a more assertive role to fill in some of the sonic gaps. However, taken as a whole, there is some very strong songwriting going on in The Mitchells both musically and poetically.” - by Jim Nolan
"Making the leap from local favorite to national act is a difficult step for any band. The Mitchells have made quite a name for themselves in Cincinnati. If they keep releasing the kind of stuff found on their self-titled debut it may not be long before they take their sound nationwide." - Jacob Sides - FabricohMusic.com
"Their Bird Feather EP was an already immaculately conceived introduction to the band, as those who worship at the altar of emotive, delicate, and folksy indie rock would testify." - Cincymusic.com
If a band were to craft a statement of purpose, subtle and unsuspecting , The Mitchells have whispered a declaration, catching an entire city resolutely looking the other way. Their Bird Feather EP is a sharp lesson in understatement – refined, though never to the point of satire or pretension, restrained, yet bursting at the seams. Indie folk can be treacherous when mishandled, ironic without any sense of fun. It can easily, and quickly, lose its way, and in turn, lose the listener’s interest. Not so with The Mitchells. Yearning, earnest, never saccharine, their live show is an act of humble intensity. Stuttering, insistent drums, strings and piano that maneuver through each track nimbly without getting lost, twinkling, evocative guitar work, low level vocals that still hover above quietly moving musicianship. - www.cincymusic.com
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Is it true that the best measure of music is how well you can dance to it? Not according to The Mitchells. Great music has the power to reach deep inside and move you on an emotional level. That’s what listening to The Mitchells is all about.
The Mitchells are a four-piece indie pop band from Cincinnati, Ohio who bring a distinctive warm and orchestral approach to their music. And, since forming in 2012, they have garnered a devoted – if not dancing – regional fan base.
Reminiscent of vast stretches of southern Ohio, their music is open, lonesome, and lovely as they layer indie-folk with elements of rock and chamber-pop. In many songs, their elegant interplay of guitars creates a canvas for the melodies, giving the rhythm section freedom to drive the dynamics from near silent to full-tilt.
The Mitchells first placed themselves on the Midwest music scene by releasing their first EP and by playing the largest regional music festivals in and around Cincinnati, including Bunbury and Midpoint Music Festival. Their recent focus has been on composition and staging unique performances, giving them freedom to push their writing and to showcase their music in fan-friendly listening environments.
The Mitchells are continually honing a sound that is best described as “orchestrally-minded.” Their unwavering goal is to meld the rich textures and dynamics of a complete orchestral score with the 4-piece rock band who they are at their core. Sometimes adding subtle instrumentation and, most recently, by composing and playing with a chamber orchestra.
In 2015, The Mitchells partnered with concert:nova – a progressive Cincinnati chamber ensemble with ties to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra – to reimagine and perform an adaptation of the 1823 Schubert masterpiece “Die Schöne Müllerin.” Joined also by Grammy-nominated producer and guitar player Ric Hordinski (Over the Rhine, Monk), the new composition retells the tragic story of unrequited love, weaving the modern and the classic into a unique and compelling musical experience.
The band is currently writing material for their third album and playing repeat performances with concert:nova. The most recent was the 2016 season opener at National Sawdust, an “artist-led, non-profit venue…a place for exploration and discovery” in Brooklyn, NY. From there, their hope is to continue to evolve the sound and connect with new audiences who are hungry for something honest and new.
Band Members
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